Here’s What I’d Do If I Was a Startup Looking to Build Early Growth

f I was starting from scratch (again!) … new brand, no audience, no customers here’s exactly how I’d go about building early momentum. I wouldn’t obsess over paid ads or complex funnels. I’d build relationships first, then leverage those into awareness, content and traction. That means partnerships, product seeding and real conversations day in, day out.

Let me walk you through what that could look like over the first 12 months.

Month 1–2: Get Clear on Your Message & Market

You can’t scale what you can’t explain.
Start with clarity:

• What problem are you solving?

• Who are you really for?

• Why should someone care?

Then, identify the people already speaking to your future customers. These are the creators, connectors and micro-influencers who hold the keys to early reach.

Your focus:

• Build a list of 50–100 potential early partners. They will exist (if they don’t you have no market to capitalise upon… Plan B = Create the content. BE the influencer)

• Develop a core pitch you can use in DMs, emails or Zoom calls.

• Design a low-cost seeding offer, can you give away product or offer early access? Think it’s expensive? Have you seen CPAs for META ads recently?

Month 3–4: Start Seeding, Start Talking

This is your hands-on phase.

Send your product to people who can create content around it (or at the very least give you useful feedback). It’s not about scale. It’s about signal. You're looking for what resonates and who responds.

Your focus:

• Seed product to 20–30 potential partners with a simple “thought you might like this” note.

• Start a spreadsheet to track who posts, who replies, who doesn’t. Maybe invest in a tool like Buzzstream that acts as your CRM?

• Turn responses into social proof. Screenshot everything. Reshare. Build that “something’s happening” energy.

Month 5–6: Build Your First Real Partnerships

Now you’ve got a few allies… people who like your product and your brand. Time to formalise things.

Start small:

• Invite partners into an affiliate program.

• Create simple brand assets they can use.

• Get their feedback on what’s working.

Also:

• Host a private Zoom call Slack channel or WhatsApp group for your early ambassadors.

• Involve them in the direction of the brand. Make them feel like they’re part of something.

This is community as strategy, not a newsletter or Discord group with 5 people. It’s the real conversations that drive loyalty.

Month 7–9: Repurpose & Repackage Everything

You now have content from creators. You’ve got social proof. You’ve got trusted voices talking about your product.

Now:

• Turn that content into ad creatives (when ready).

• Feature it on your product pages (hello ReelUp).

• Share their stories in your emails (hello Klaviyo).

• Build case study-style content to drive authority.

Your job here:
Multiply the value of everything you’ve already done. You're building momentum so don’t let any ‘asset’ sit idle.

Month 10–12: Turn Your Network Into a Growth Engine

With real partners, content and systems in place, it’s time to scale what’s working:

• Run your first creator-led launch or product drop.

• Ask your top 5% affiliates what they need to hit bigger goals. The 95/5 rule will apply with your program so nurture those relationships. It’s imperative.

• Map out your next 25 partners referrals, DMs, inbound.

You’re not running a partner program. You’re building a partner ecosystem.

Final Thought: It’s Not About Hype. It’s About Belief.

The mistake most startups make? They rush to scale tactics eg; ads, agencies, big spend before they’ve built any real energy behind their brand.

But when you build through partnerships, product seeding and human conversations, you’re growing through belief. And belief is what fuels word of mouth, retention and long-term brand strength.

So if I was starting from zero, I’d skip the noise… and start building with people.